Columbus Dog Bite Attorney

Providing Legal Support and Guidance to Dog Bite Victims

Imagine that you’re taking your morning jog around your neighborhood, and suddenly, a dog attacks you from behind. Or maybe you’re talking with a neighbor on their front lawn only to have their dog come out and viciously attack you. Around one-third of Georgia households are home to at least one dog, and dog owners have the strict responsibility to keep their dogs contained and under control to avoid a dog attack and devastating injuries. When a dog owner fails to do this, they can be held liable for the victim’s injuries.

Dog bite cases can be difficult to prove, and owners will often try multiple tactics to attempt to avoid responsibility. This is why it’s important to have legal representation throughout the process, even if the owner is a friend, neighbor, or family member. If you were injured in a dog attack, call our Columbus dog bite lawyers to find out how we can help.

When Are Dog Owners Liable for Damages in a Dog Bite Claim?

In general, Georgia law holds owners liable for injuries a dog bite victim sustains. Dog owners are responsible for ensuring that their dogs are properly restrained according to all relevant local, county, and state laws and must do everything in their power to avoid an attack. State law requires that three main elements be true to pursue compensation from a dog’s owner:

• The dog was classified as a vicious or dangerous animal
• The owner acted negligently, such as through “careless management” or letting the dog roam free
• The dog bite victim did not provoke the animal

The most difficult elements to prove in these types of cases are that the owner acted negligently and that the victim didn’t provoke the attack. An experienced dog bite attorney can help you uncover evidence that can support your case and let you know what to expect as the case progresses.

What’s the Difference Between a Dog That Is Classified as Vicious or Dangerous?

Georgia law requires that dogs be labeled as either vicious or dangerous if they have a history of aggressive behavior. In general, this process begins when someone makes a report to animal control. This could involve reporting an actual dog bite, or it could be a complaint that the owner is not keeping the dog under control or that the dog is displaying threatening behavior. Once the complaint is filed, an animal control officer conducts an investigation to determine if the dog should be classified as vicious or dangerous.

Vicious dogs are those that have caused serious injury to someone. Serious injury usually includes deep lacerations, significant blood loss, broken bones, torn muscles, or any injury that requires surgery to treat.

Dangerous dogs are dogs that have not caused serious injury to a human victim but that have:

• Killed someone else’s pet when they weren’t on their own property, such as attacking another dog at the park
• Aggressively attacked another person without causing injury, such as charging at them with the clear intent to cause injury but a fence was in the way
• Caused a nonserious injury to a victim that broke the skin with a puncture injury

Keep in mind that there are some special circumstances under which a dog can’t be labeled vicious or dangerous for their behavior. This includes if the dog killed an animal while performing its duties as a working dog or a K-9 in the military or police force. A dog is also not considered dangerous or vicious if it attacks someone who was in the process of committing a crime, including trespassing, or who provoked or abused the dog.

What Special Precautions Do Owners Have to Take With These Dogs?

Once a dog is labeled as dangerous or vicious, the owner is responsible for abiding by certain requirements. For example, the owner must register the dog with animal control, post visible warning signs around the premises, and keep the dog securely confined at all times. If the owner violates these requirements, it could be considered negligence in a personal injury case if someone is bitten. They can also incur criminal penalties as a result.

Does Georgia Follow the One-Bite Rule?

Some states have laws that essentially give dog owners a free pass for their dog’s first bite as long as they didn’t have any prior warning that the dog was dangerous. While Georgia doesn’t have a specific one-bite dog bite law, it follows a similar premise. Dog owners can only be held liable if the dog is previously classified as dangerous or vicious, which means that there would have to be some prior evidence that the dog was aggressive or showed a propensity toward biting.

If a dog was not previously categorized as dangerous or vicious and the owner didn’t have any previous knowledge that the dog was aggressive, it could be difficult to win a personal injury lawsuit. However, in some cases, the owner could be found negligent due to other circumstances, such as not abiding by local leash law ordinances and letting the dog roam free.

How Do You Prove Owner Negligence in Dog Bite Cases?

Proving that the owner was negligent in some way or that the dog was vicious or dangerous is a key part of dog bite claims. And there are specific types of evidence that can be used to support your case. If a dog has already bitten someone, has a history of aggressive behavior, or has already been classified as vicious or dangerous, this is a best-case scenario for dog bite victims wanting to pursue a claim. This shows that this behavior was expected from the dog and that the owner should have taken serious measures to keep the dog contained.

Georgia law also allows a dog to be deemed vicious if the owner was not adhering to local laws. This usually applies to leash laws. For example, even if a dog had no previous history of aggression, if an owner allowed the dog to be off-leash in an area that mandated that the dog be restrained, it qualifies as vicious under the law, and the owner is liable for any damages.

Other evidence that can be used to show that a dog was dangerous and the owner negligent include:

• Vet records from previous incidents with the dog or requesting help with behavioral concerns
• Previous complaints or animal control responses
• Statements from neighbors or others familiar with the dog’s behavior
• Video footage of the attack, such as from security cameras

One of the main things your attorney will do is conduct an investigation to uncover any evidence related to your case. Sometimes, all it takes to persuade a jury is just one key statement from someone the dog previously tried to attack.

Keep in mind that you have two years from the date of the attack to file a personal injury lawsuit, according to the statute of limitations for dog bites in Georgia. This ensures that your legal team has enough time to gather evidence and that you are able to get a full understanding of the extent of your injuries and your expenses.

What Types of Compensation Are Possible After Dog Bites?

Victims seeking compensation through the civil courts for their dog bite injuries can get money for both economic and noneconomic losses. Economic losses are calculable financial losses. This includes bills for medical treatment, money you spent on medical devices, such as crutches or a walker, and lost income.

Noneconomic losses, on the other hand, are for things that aren’t tangible. This is commonly referred to as pain and suffering. The truth is that being bitten by a dog is a frightening and traumatic experience, and the mental and emotional effects can last for months or years. Anxiety and depression can make it harder to engage in your favorite activities, go to work, or otherwise live your life, and you deserve to be compensated for these losses. Our attorneys are dedicated to helping you get the money you deserve so you can start taking steps forward and moving on with your life.

What Should You Do If You’ve Been Bitten by a Dog?

Protect your rights and ensure that you have what you need to pursue a personal injury case against a negligent dog owner by following these steps:

Seek Medical Attention

Dog bite injuries require medical treatment. Even if you think the injury is “minor,” the risk of infection is high, and you need documentation of your injuries by a health care provider. Getting medical attention as soon as possible after the incident ensures that you get the care you need to heal and have a record of the bite and the resulting injuries.

Gather Evidence

As soon as you are physically able, it’s important to gather as much information as possible. If you were bitten in a public place, try to get the dog owner’s name and contact information so that you can follow up later on. Take pictures of your injuries, and get the contact information for any bystanders who saw the attack and may be able to serve as witnesses later on.

Report the Bite

Immediately report the bite to authorities. In some cases, your doctor will do this for you as part of your treatment if it’s required by law, but it’s important to ensure that both the police and animal control are notified of the attack.

Contact a Dog Bite Lawyer

After your injuries have been addressed, your next call should be to a dog bite lawyer who can start investigating your case and gathering evidence for your claim. These cases can be challenging, and the sooner you retain an attorney to start the process, the better.

At Bence Law Firm, LLC, we understand how devastating a dog bite injury can be and how difficult it is to try to pursue legal recourse while still recovering from your injuries. Our goal is to make this process easier by speaking to the insurance company on your behalf, gathering evidence for your case, and handling all of the legal filings. Call our office at 334-489-1951 to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney to find out what services we offer and how we can help.